Wikileaks founder and accused rapist Julian Assange has long maintained a "trust me" attitude about his data security. However, if today's reports are correct, people very well may die due to his carelessness.

According to German newspaper Der Freitag, and backed up by Der Spiegel, a spat between Assange and his spokesperson Daniel Domscheit-Berg resulted in the accidental release of thousands of unredacted cables with an easily-obtained password. These documents include sources names which were removed from the intentionally-released cables, says Der Spiegel.

It's an exceptionally reckless screw-up (assuming that it is a screw up and not an intentional document dump by the media hungry Assange). It's virtually guaranteeing that sources and informants and their families will be killed and tortured, and have to flee their home countries. I'd say that Assange should be ashamed, but I doubt he has it in him.